This French vintage risque real photo postcard features a pretty young bathing beauty. The young woman is wearing a bathing suit that has straps on the bottom of the suit. Her shoes also have black straps wrapping partially up her calves.This is a risque photograph. This postcard was published by celebrated photographer, Jean Agelou (1878-1921), as part of a series (No.036). Agelou was a French photographer of the 1910’s and 1920’s who is best known for his erotic and nude photographs. He was born in Egypt and not much is known about his private life. Agelou generally used models between the age of 20 and 24 years-old. Although the 1900’s was the “golden age” of erotic photograph, photographers who took such risque photos had to use discretion. As a result, Agelou signed his work “JA”. In 1908, nudity in photographs was banned in France and photographers had to cover nude women images with strategically placed undergarments or other materials. Nude images had to circulate on the down low. They were sent in the mail inside of envelopes. Jean Agelou died in 1921; the result of a car accident. His brother George, who managed Jean’s business, also was killed in the crash. SOLD
This carte de visite photograph features a lovely little girl wearing unusual attire. I would guess that her dress is indicative of a specific ethnic group. I do not know what ethnicity that might be. The detailed stitching on her dress is pretty. Note the striped accessory (scarf?) on the side of her dress, as well as her feathered headband. Her ringlet curls are adorable. This cdv was taken at the R. A. Lord studio in New York City. He operated his studio in the 1860’s. He photographed civil war soldiers and civil war era citizens during the conflict. A couple of his photographs are in the collection of California’s J. Paul Getty Museum. SOLD
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 